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Two California police officers are accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting four women while on duty.

James Nichols, 44, and Luiz Valenzuela, 43, are set to be arraigned Thursday in court for the alleged crimes, according to a statement released by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. The statement says the alleged sexual abuse began in 2008, when the two became partners:

Beginning in December 2008, after they became partners, and continuing through March 2011, the two men allegedly began sexually assaulting women at various locations, including in their police vehicle, prosecutors said. All four women were arrested at various times by the officers during narcotics-related offenses.

At the time the alleged assaults occurred, the victims were 19, 24, 25 and 34 years of age. Most, but not all, of the alleged sexual assaults occurred while the officers were on duty.

In at least one instance, Valenzuela is accused of pointing a gun at a victim.

The city of Los Angeles will pay $750,000 to settle a civil lawsuit brought by a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by a Los Angeles police officer in the back of his car while his partner acted as a lookout.

County prosecutors allege that the two men preyed on women together and alone from late 2008 to 2011, abusing some in the back seat of their unmarked police car and threatening their victims with arrest if they did not do as they said.

In the lawsuit, the woman said she later recounted her story to detectives after being arrested and brought to the Hollywood station five years ago. Police repeatedly told her not to hire a lawyer and urged her to be patient, according to her complaint.

Los Angeles faces additional legal challenges tied to the allegations against Nichols and Valenzuela. Two other women recently sued the city over alleged assaults by the officers, each asking more than $3 million in damages.